The present invention is directed toward a stackable pallet and, more particularly, to such a pallet which is adapted to be inserted into an open end of a shipping container and which can be compactly stacked on top of an adjacent pallet when not in use.
In order to transport a plurality of packaged goods it is common to first place the goods on top of an article supporting platform or pallet which includes a substantially planar support surface. Such pallets are required to comply with I.S.O. Standards promulgated by the International Standards Organization. U.S. Pat. No. 4,834,000 shows an example of that kind of pallet. Once the pallet is loaded, it is pushed or pulled into a shipping container to be carried by a truck, ship, train or plane. Such pallets are typically rather large and are adapted to support loads of several tons. Accordingly, specialized loading vehicles, e.g. PLS (pallet load and unload system) trucks, are utilized to either push or pull the loaded pallet into the cargo area of the shipping vehicle or container.
Existing article supporting platforms often include a pair of opposing end walls. U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,099,640, 4,162,737, 4,355,732, 4,638,744, 4,911,318, 4,964,349, 5,275,301, 5,398,832, 5,494,182 disclose examples of such platforms. It is desirable for the end walls of the article supporting platforms to be placed in a collapsed condition after the goods are unloaded from the same so that a plurality of platforms can be stacked on top of one another. The stacking of the platforms is important for the convenient storage and transportation of the same. In order to position a platform of the type described above in the collapsed condition, the end walls are typically folded inwardly so that they rest on top of the planar support surface of the platform. Accordingly, when a similarly collapsed platform is stacked on top of an adjacent collapsed platform, the end walls of the lower platform frequently interfere with the proper alignment of the upper platform which is positioned on top of the same.
Another problem which typically arises when stacking a plurality of planar platforms on top of one another, whether or not they have end walls, is that they cannot be readily fastened to one another. This makes transportation of the stacks difficult.
Even further, a stack containing a plurality of platforms is quite heavy and is cumbersome to transport. However, the stack typically does not include means for allowing a conventional PLS truck to readily engage the stack so that it can be pushed or pulled to a desired location.
The present invention is designed to overcome the deficiencies of the prior art discussed above. It is an object of this invention to provide a pallet which can be efficiently stacked on top of adjacent pallets when not in use.
It is a further object of the invention to provide a pallet which includes a handle member pivotally attached to one end of the pallet to facilitate transportation of the same by a conventional PLS truck.
It is yet another object of the invention to provide a pallet which complies with the I.S.O. standards set forth by the International Standards Organization.
In accordance with the illustrative embodiments, demonstrating features and advantages of the present invention, there is provided a stackable pallet which comprises a rectangular planar base member. The base member has two opposing ends and two opposing sides. Extending into one of the ends of the base member is a recess which is defined by two side edges and a transverse edge. A pair of smooth curved members extend downwardly from the opposite end of the base member. A pair of spaced apart elongated beams extend downwardly from the base member between the ends of the same. A handle member is pivotally secured to the base member between the side edges of the recess. The handle member is adapted to be pivoted from a stored position, wherein the handle member is folded on top of the base member, to an operative position, wherein the handle member extends upwardly from the base member. The handle member is so configured and dimensioned to fit between the elongated beams of the pallet positioned directly above so as not to interfere with the ability to stack a plurality of pallets on top of each other.
Other objects, features and advantages of the invention will be readily apparent from the following detailed description of a preferred embodiment thereof taken in conjunction with the drawings.